John Tierney: “Republicans appear addicted to drug company money. Why else would they try to fool the American people with a plan…”

“Republicans appear addicted to drug company money. Why else would they try to fool the American people with a plan written with the drug companies that fails to cover over 90 percent of seniors, that insurance companies say they will not participate in because it is good only for the wealthiest seniors with the highest drug costs, that would have seniors pay out of pocket $3,800 per year, and that does nothing to lower the cost of prescription drugs? In fact, the Republican bill so distrusts the President's Secretary of Health and Human Services that it forbids him to negotiate lower prices for seniors. Mr. Speaker, the Republican sham bill is just an attempt to privatize prescription drug coverage in the same way they tried to privatize Social Security. It will not help most seniors, and it will not work. So while Republicans are busy cutting taxes for less than 1 percent of the wealthiest estates in America, they trade off real prescription drug coverage, saying it is too expensive; and they offer a sham bill. The Democrats have a plan to cover seniors. It is affordable, it is accessible to all seniors, it allows the Secretary to negotiate lower and fairer prices, and it is real. Mr. Speaker, let us defeat the Republican sham privatization bill and pass the Democrats' real deal for seniors.”